OK...thanks Perfessor. It is 35 and blowing sideways...raining sideways too. Think I'll run 4-5 through the woods. I am back from DC and worked the entire time and only made time for a long walk on the Mall.

Run like you are on fire!
5K goal 24:00 or less (PR 24:34)
10K goal 50:00 or less (PR 52:45)
HM goal 1:55:00 or less (PR 2:03:02)
Marathon Goal...Less than my PR (PR 4:33:23)

Your 20-miler in Central Park sounds like it went very well pace-wise, especially considering you probably had to navigate a fair amount of blowdown debris. Is that unusual for it to snow before the autumn leaves have fallen? The weather seems to be turning more quickly than usual, doesn't it? We had some frost on windshields around here this morning too.

Crabby how did your sideways run go this morning?

I'm at lunch right now, but am planning on 5 miles tonight.

MTA: Thanks for the comment Dutchie - I have been running a rolling hills 10-mile route routinely on the weekend for a number of months now. I've gotten pretty good at going up and down short steep hills, so that helped me alot in this trail race, particularly for the downhills where I can make up time. This particular race course however had some really long uphill inclines - which I'm not used to - so more practicing to be done. However, I have found that I really love a hilly course. I don't know why...it just is really fun and feels like such an accomplishment to do.

I am so darn sleepy from waking up all the time due to foot and calf cramps that I don't think I can keep up with the TM today. I did do biceps,. triceps, shoulders and core, but was struggling with the pace here too. Like there was a 5 second delay whenever I had to move a muscle...

Crabby: did you make it thru the woods?

Happy: did you get your run in?

Dutchie I go running in the early morning, before my brain figures out what I'm up to.

Good morning...Made it for a three miler up a trail to some muskeg and there Nitro ran hard for 5 minutes and then we ran back. Today is a flat trail with Nitro on leash. He has been running off and not coming back so I need to show him a bit of discipline. 5 mile "race" on Sat. I will be happy with 10 minute miles

Run like you are on fire!
5K goal 24:00 or less (PR 24:34)
10K goal 50:00 or less (PR 52:45)
HM goal 1:55:00 or less (PR 2:03:02)
Marathon Goal...Less than my PR (PR 4:33:23)

Dutchie - every once in awhile I get night time cramps - usually solved by pre bedtime stretching and lots of water (debydration seems to be a major factor for me). The foam roller works wonders. Long office day=no run. I'll try for an hour tomorrow. Can't wait for daylight savings!

Coincidentally, I woke up Wed night (thursday morning) with a calf cramp. Having been out in that arid climate, I put down 2 liters of water over the course of 4 hrs and still didn't void any fluid. dehydration I guess. A liter of gatorade later, my cramp/pain was completely relieved. So yeah, I buy into the dehydration thing on cramps. maybe some electrolytes too.

I'm in New Hampshire for tomorrow's Mancester CIty Marathon. I didn't luck out on the NYCM lottery but this should be a really nice (and much less expensive) race and I can cross off New Hampshire for my 31st state, and NH doesn't have a lot of choices. It's beautiful here and the weather should be spectacular! There are still big piles of snow all over the place from the Halloween snowstorm but it should be in the 40's and sunny. I had a sore throat yesterday and was afraid I was coming down with an Upper respiratory infection but I'm better today.

"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

"To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

So far this week: 2x1 mile runs on the TM, 1x3.5K run with the dogs. Pathetic. But I did work all UB muscle groups twice this week.

I have no idea about the muscle cramps. I do have them occasionally. Usually after a hard run or particularly strenuous LB workout. A colleague gave me a magnesium supplement that I started taking last Sunday. I had a good nights sleep on Thursday and Friday. Not sure if it was the supplement, but the cramps are gone!

Crabby: you have snow Is that normal for this time of year in Alaska? We've been enjoying unusually high temps: yesterday was 18C. Weird for November.

Perfesser: good luck on your marathon! Should be a good one with the weather being so nice.

Dutchie I go running in the early morning, before my brain figures out what I'm up to.

Trey - Didn't really enjoy the running in Vegas either, but some how I still manage to have a good time there.

Did a little marathon pace practice run today. I'm still not sure of my projected pace so I figured the best thing to do was pick a pace a little on the fast side and see how it felt. I ran 13 miles at a 3:33 marathon pace and it seemed just a little on the aggressive side so I think that answered my question. I can now officially state my goals for next weekend. BQ is not in the mix for this race so my big focus is going to be solid nutrition/hydration and a negative split.